Terror of Diet Supplement

In Japan, there are increasing victims who develop liver problems after taking diet supplements made in China.

On July 19, Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare officially announced that the number of victims of diet drug from China reached 62. Among them, 52 are women, 2 of them died. That is considerable increase, compared to 12 Japanese media first reported on July 12.

To classify them according to the type of disorder, 46 people have suffered from liver problem, 11 from thyroid gland disorder and 5 from unidentified reasons. 26 of them were reportedly hospitalized.

Health, Labor and Welfare minister, Sakaguchi Chikara, announced following5 measures in a press interview. △ probe into causes of liver problems △ information exchange with Chinese authorities △ stricter regulation on diet supplement made in China

△ publication of examples of damage on the website of Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry △ stronger standards on supplements import.

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare asked China authorities for stronger crack down on those kinds of supplements and decided to put the ban on import and sale if similar case will happen again even though those supplements are not classified as drug.

Asahi newspaper tallied up that in 26 prefectures, there have been 69 victims, more than the ministry’s figure. Victims are evenly distributed throughout the country, except Hotkaido. They reportedly bought the products through the internet shopping and got them from those who had traveled to China.

Some local governments said that some people had health problems after taking Chunbakyunsusin(天百潤瘦身),Sajungsobangunmiso(思쬵消쎣健美素), Uzidangchongziso(御芝堂淸脂素) as well as Uzidangambigyonamg(御芝堂減肥膠囊) and Sumaisogyonang(纖之素膠囊) which the ministry announced.

Meanwhile, according to Japanese correspondent reporters in Hongkong, Chinese government investigated 48 items of diet supplements and banned 20 illegal products from being sold.

This investigation is part of measures Chinese government took to deal with the incidents in Japan. Besides this, Chinese government plans to continuously examine supplements harshly punish the manufacturers or traders if find illegal contents in them. Chinese Health authorities has already banned Uzidangambigyonamg(御芝堂減肥膠囊) from being manufactured and sold.

ksshim@donga.com